Authorities in the US state of California announced the closure of a section of Yosemite National Park as a wildfire inches closer to a grove of iconic gigantic sequoia trees.
As firefighters battled the inferno, which had burned 101 hectares (250 acres) by 12pm local time (19:00 GMT) on Friday, authorities shut entry to the park's largest stand of sequoias and advised people to abandon neighboring areas.The trees are renowned for their size and antiquity, with the Grizzly Giant, a living representation of the state's rich natural history, stretching back more than 3,000 years.
Following the destruction of thousands of sequoia trees the previous summer, US President Joe Biden issued an order in April to protect old-growth forests from wildfires.
Although there have been no indications of major damage from this week's fire, park officials closed Mariposa Grove on Thursday, which is home to more than 500 gigantic sequoias. The park's remainder is still accessible.Speaking about the process by which fire kills a tree by igniting its canopy, Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite fire information spokesperson, said, "There is some torching, but we're not seeing that on the named trees that's been reported yet."The hamlet of Wawona, which is located inside the park, and the gigantic sequoias are unquestionably "our priorities," according to Phillipe.
The Washburn Fire was given that name in honor of a Yosemite route where it was originally discovered on Thursday afternoon. Although the cause of the fire is unknown, firefighters are working to contain it. So yet, no injuries have been recorded.
As hard as we can, we're really hammering it, Phillipe added.
As a result of variables including protracted droughts and climate change, wildfire conditions are becoming more common in the western United States. Eight of the ten biggest fires in state history have happened since 2017.Some of the state's most priceless natural parks have been threatened by these wildfires, which frequently occur in rural areas.
Stunning Lake Tahoe, a well-liked tourist resort on the border of California and Nevada, was evacuated in July 2021 due to the Caldor Fire. Fires that started that month south of Yosemite forced evacuations.Big Sur, the famed California region characterized by rugged coasts, enormous woods, and expansive vistas, had flames even in January, a time of year when fires are generally less frequent.
In the southern states, like New Mexico, where hundreds of people were compelled to leave their homes to escape the flames, recent fires have also spurred evacuations.
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